Phnom Penh

I had an uneventful trip from Bangkok to Phnom Penh and am safely ensconced in my friend Warren’s beautiful apartment. On Friday night he took me to a birthday party for a colleague of his and I had a great time at a very “Western” party. There were lots of Canadians as well as teachers from Britain, Australia and New Zealand. On Saturday we had a bit of a slow start but then hit some of the local markets and shops. I was able to buy a pair of leather sandals to replace the pair that got eaten by a dog on Koh Phangan (leaving me with nothing but flip-flops, hiking boots and running shoes). We then had fabulous massages and came home to regroup before heading out for dinner and a movie night at a friend’s place. We all sang along to the Abba classics as Mamma Mia was screened.

Today we both did some work on our respective courses (Warren is working on a Masters) and then hired a couple of motorcycles (with drivers) to tour us around on the other side of the river. We saw some really interesting neighbourhoods and lifestyles over there. It’s strange to see how the poor and rich people intermingle here – the rich don’t have any issue erecting a mansion in the middle of a slum. It’s very strange and somewhat disturbing, considering their wealth was likely gathered through corruption at the expense of the poor people around them.

Phnom Penh is much the way I remember it. It certainly is easier to get around with an escort, especially one who has lived here for so many years. It is still an incredibly poor, filthy and largely ugly city. And it still has the ambiance of devastation, pain and suffering pulsing through the air. Still, like all places in Asia, I can’t help but love the sensory assault. It just makes you so aware on so many levels.

Warren works tomorrow, so I’ll try to get out and explore a bit on foot. I’m guessing that after a day of touring on my own I’ll be ready to hunker down inside and not go out again. I will certainly be more of a target without Warren to hide behind.